With heatwave conditions sweeping across much of the country, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology has warned well-above-average temperatures are likely to continue smothering NSW this week.
It’s particularly risky when high temperatures coincide with high humidity, making it impossible for perspiration to properly cool people down. High overnight temperatures are also a danger to human health.
As Australians swelter, the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service has already declared that 2023 will be the warmest year on record globally due to climate change. Extreme heat affects the health of people and animals, and also has particular implications for inland suburbs, rural and farming communities, and fire-fighters.
Elderly people, those with compromised health and children need to be particularly careful, particularly those with heart conditions.
Dangerous heat
Dr Beau Frigault is the Queensland state chair of Doctors for the Environment Australia, and an expert on the health impacts of more frequent and intense heatwaves, bushfires and droughts.
‘Heat kills more Australians than all other disasters combined,’ said Dr Frigault.
‘We are all at risk of heat-related illness but some groups are especially vulnerable, including the elderly, people with chronic disease such as heart disease or diabetes; children, rural and remote communities, outdoor workers and community members with poor housing conditions.’
Goondiwindi-based farmer Pete Mailler says, ‘As a farming business we are completely exposed to the weather. Anticipating an El Niño we have made conservative cropping choices this year. We’ve had a couple of good years and I’m grateful for those. It buys us some time but farming is definitely riskier now than when I started.
‘We see those extreme events, we’re faster into drought, we’re faster into flood. Weather volatility is the hardest thing to manage. Warmer drier weather and huge fuel loads is a very concerning combination.’
Vivien Thomson is a NSW farmer, based on the South West Slopes. ‘As a farmer and volunteer firefighter I like to be prepared. We have got 300 big square bales of silage buried in case of another drought.
‘The last drought was shocking. I coped with the millennial drought, but the next one hit so hard and so quickly that rain didn’t make an ounce of difference. It was heartbreaking looking outside.’
Heat and health
No matter where you live, prolonged exposure to extreme heat can result in a range of heat-related illnesses, ranging from mild conditions like heat cramps and heat exhaustion to more severe and potentially life-threatening conditions such as heatstroke.
High temperatures can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, stressing the cardiovascular system and potentially causing organ damage. Respiratory problems may worsen as air quality often deteriorates during heat waves, increasing the risk for respiratory illnesses.
Additionally, heat waves can exacerbate existing health disparities, as marginalised communities may lack access to adequate cooling resources or face challenges in adapting to extreme temperatures.
The increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, linked to climate change, amplify these health risks.
Public health measures, including early warning systems, community outreach, and infrastructure improvements, are crucial for mitigating the health impacts of heat waves and protecting vulnerable populations from the potentially severe consequences of extreme heat events.
